Overview

This talk will cover the following areas and questions:

- Facilitating flexible approaches to stakeholder engagement and consultation especially during the pandemic.
- How digital technology can be a powerful way of connecting with younger audiences
and some vulnerable groups.
- Online and off-line technologies that provide robust platforms for sharing information and conducting meetings and engaging in real-time.
- Using these tools effectively, improving the quality of feedback that you receive and involving the widest possible audience.
- How do we connect with those who don’t have access to the internet or aren’t digitally enabled in a time of remote working?
- Can virtual engagement and networking be as effective as in person?
- Combining digital technology with traditional forms of engagement: choosing the right tools for the right audience
- Navigating through these challenges and the approach for a long-term strategy.

Speakers

Marielle O’Lone, Associate Land Consultant at WSP

Marielle is an Associate Land Consultant with WSP, a leading property, construction and business services group. She is a Chartered Geographer (GIS), with 20 years’ experience as a consultant, focusing on planning information management, in a range of private and public sectors.

She has worked with the general public and stakeholders by organising and participating in public information and consultation exhibitions and individual affected party meetings. She ensures complicated technical information is presented in a format more readily recognised by a non-technical person, acting as a liaison between the project engineers and the stakeholders.

She previously held a lead role within the Digital Solutions team and thus thrives on promoting opportunities where technology and innovation are required to stay relevant in business, particularly using geospatial, 3D/VR, data management & analytics and UAV digital tools.